Shokugeki
Shokugeki (食戟 Shokugeki lit, Food Halberd) is a cooking duel in Tōtsuki Culinary Academy. It is a longstanding tradition that allows students to settle debates and arguments through a formal duel of their cooking prowess. Basics A Shokugeki can be initiated by anyone within the school. In most cases, these have been started either to further a person's personal project in Tōtsuki or to overturn a judgement by the school such as an expulsion or a disbanding of a club. Shokugekis are battled between two parties. The number of people participating in each party does not have to be equal, so one side can be challenging solo while the other has a partner. Each side must lay out their "compensation", or something they must give up if they were to lose the challenge. Both sides must agree that the compensation of the duel equate with each other, For example, if any student were to challenge an Elite Ten Council member for their chair and lose, expulsion would not equate to the value of an Elite Ten seat. After a Shokugeki has been authorized, the challengers will set up a date to carry out the Shokugeki and its theme. Any time between the issue and the actual challenge may be used to prepare for it. On the day of the challenge, both contestants will cook at the same time in a fixed amount of time. After both sides have finished their dish, they will present their Shokugeki dish to the judges. After eating both contestant's dishes, they will vote on which dish was the best overall. The winner will have all conditions of their victory fulfilled and the result cannot be revoked unless there is a special circumstance. Authrization Though a Shokugeki can be initiated by anyone in the school, there are three main conditions to issue a Shokugeki: *An authorized individual to validate the Shokugeki. This means that a member of Tōtsuki's staff, a Tōtsuki alumni, or an Elite Ten Council member must validate the challenge for it to be an official Shokugeki. *An odd number of judges. This is ensure that a Shokugeki will end with a clear victor and prevent a tie situation. *Both sides must mutually agree to have the Shokugeki and the conditions of the Shokugeki. If one side is unwilling to participate, the challenge is not feasable as show that Satoshi Isshiki refused to validate Sōma Yukihira's challenge because he did not want Sōma to leave Tōtsuki if he lost. Judging There are several winning factors for the dish, but the three core traits in a dish are aroma, taste, and presentation. Judges can be swayed by high quality ingredients as they often produce predictably good results. However, as demonstrated in the Don R's vs Mito Shokugeki, even though Ikumi had a superior ingredient for her don dish, she lost out the the overall edibility and passive effects of Soma's don dish. After tasting both dishes, the judges will choose who had the superior dish Aftermath of a Shokugeki Immediately after a Shokugeki, the winner's victory conditions will be immediately carried out. It is not known if a Shokugeki result can be immediately repealed with another Shokugeki, but it is heavily implied that this cannot happen. However, as shown by Sōma, a Shokugeki can be issued to repeal a result of a Shokugeki assuming that the challenger was not involved in the initial Shokugeki. Types There are different types of Shokugeki *'Official ''Shokugeki'-The official ''Shokugeki is the type of Shokugeki is traditionally held by the school authority to perform the Shokugeki, only within the area of the Tootsuki Culinary Academy. This Shokugeki is only considered as official if the school authority permits and the agreement between both battle chef about the stipulation and risk. This is also a prime Shokugeki in this very academy and most of the audiences are the students of this academy, with the judges are mostly from the guest. *'Unofficial ''Shokugeki'-The unofficial Shokugeki is another type of ''Shokugeki which is out limits to from the Tootsuki Culinary Academy and had to held by other officials instead of the Tootsuki Culinary Academy authority. The permission for this type of Shokugeki would be depending on the figures who is out from the Tootsuki Culinary Academy, yet it is considered as an underground duel, in which this Shokugeki can be started without the permission from the authorities of the academy and it is often hidden from the crowd. Whoever caught by the authority of the academy, the judges and even the authority that allowed this Shokugeki won't be responsible upon the charges. *'Tournament ''Shokugeki'-The tournament Shokugeki is another type of ''Shokugeki which is held in mostly in important event in the academy, which is makes it as the headline battle of all. Like the sports tournament, the qualified battle chefs would undergo to the elimination type tournament. Although it is remain 1 vs 1 like the Official Shokugeki, the entries can goes to as many as 8 participants and the tournament would undergoes until the finals. Whoever survives the elimination battle would advances to the finals and they will battle each other out until only one remains as the champion of this Shokugeki. This type of Shokugeki is only available in certain event in the Tootsuki, especially the important event such as the Tootsuki Autumn Election. Styles Depending on the condition by both chef, the style is considered free by both chef to cook any dish as long ti is related to the subject. Each style can be used by each chef to create the dish based on the theme of the food is given in. The chef can create the dish in any style and forms depending on the chef's personal experiences and creativity upon cooking. Plot Soma Entry to the Shokugeki The Shokugeki would only held by Erina to secure her regime until Soma entered the academy. Since Soma's infamous ambitious speech had spreed through the entire academy, almost everyone is dissed and scorned over Soma's ambition as a arrogant fool's loud brag which who didn't know his place. In the end however, some of them reluctantly accept him as a potential talent after Soma made the iron-heart lecturer, Roland Chapelle smile in an unexpected fashion through his innovated dish. In Soma's welcome party, Elite Council Member and the Polar Star Hostel veteran student, Isshiki Satoshi is attempt to see Soma's skill by challenging the Yukihira Genius to a duel to earn his respect. Intrigued over Soma's simple yet innovative dish which make the delicacy delicious, Satoshi would forge his friendship with Soma while he heard over Soma's challenge over his seat in the Elite 10 Council, prompting the veteran that Soma's ambition would be Soma's great responsibility before he witnessed Soma's serious side to challenge him on the next day; thinking that the Yukihira Genius's dream would revive the Shokugeki excitement while anticipate Soma's journey to polish his cookery skills. Soma's first Shokugeki would be against Mito Ikumi Soon after Soma's first Shokugeki victory, almost every talent with the likes of Takumi Aldini and Nakiri Alice would try to humble him with Yukihira-Shinomiya Shokugeki Feud Begin as a misunderstanding between Soma and the Academy Alumni, Shinomiya, this Shokugeki would be written down into the academy history book after the Soma voiced his disagreement and challenged Shinomiya into a suicidal yet brave Shokugeki duel; igniting the infamous Yukihira-Shinomiya Shokugeki Feud . Legends and Champion Main Article:[[List of the ''Shokugeki participants]]'' Throughout time, each generations has their own champions and several competition held in every Shokugeki in the academy. However, it is due to the severe consequences of every stipulation made by both sides, only the brave talents prevailed in many Shokugeki matches. As the majority of these champions are either from the gifted and privileged students or experienced veterans of the academy, Soma is the first street-restaurant background transfer student join the ranks of the champions since his first victory against another fellow Shokugeki champion, Mito Ikumi. Past Shokugeki Recipes & Dishes Main Article: [[:Category:Shokugeki Recipes|List of ''Shokugeki Recipes]]'' Through generations and time, each of the food presented for the are various depending on the theme of each dishes of both rivals has made. Each of the themed dishes would become legends and some of them even becomes the prized icon to the research club after the victory. Notable Shokugeki Dishes *'Yukihira style Shalyapin Steak Don'-Simple yet innovative, this Donburi is represent Soma's innovative achievements and the pride of the Don R's after Soma defeated Ikumi, the Meat Muster under Erina's faction in his first yet intense Shokugeki. Notable Shokugeki Also see: List of Rivals & [[List of the ''Shokugeki participants]]'' Official Shokugeki Unofficial Shokugeki (*)Megumi would be the main chef instead of Soma, even this Shokugeki was Soma's idea, hence she must be the one to decide the recipe. (**)Inui would not became this Shokugeki's judge, due to her pampered attachment towards to Megumi. (***)Shinomiya originally won this Shokugeki until Doujima decided to include his vote to Soma and Megumi. Shinomiya was given a coin, which he dropped into Megumi's plate after eating her dish. Inui added one last vote, resulting in a tie. This however caused the Shokugeki to become unofficial. Trivia *This duel is mostly loosely based on the famous Japanese television show The Iron Chef and even dubbed as the cooking version of Wrestlemania. Shokugeki Recipes Category:Terminology